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Group photo of Sigma Chi brothers in front of "Sigma" "Chi" greek letters.
Sigma Chi Fraternity (Flor) raised $10,157 for the Huntsman Cancer Institute through its Derby Days event.

An infographic reads, "#FDUGivesBack. $19,531.85 raised for charities, 130 organization served, 25 causes helped, 23 acts of kindness. Fairleigh Dickinson Fall 2019. FDU." By Julie Kayzerman

Jan. 27, 2020 — From charitable donations and volunteer work to raising awareness for causes and committing acts of kindness, the Fairleigh Dickinson University community gave back in a big way during the Fall 2019 semester.

Students at FDU’s Florham and Metropolitan campuses raised $19,531.85 for different charities and medical research causes. Of the money raised, $17,902.85 went to medical research foundations. They also volunteered with, served or raised money for 130 different organizations, raised awareness for 25 different causes and ran 23 different acts of kindness initiatives.

Here’s a full breakdown of how FDU made its mark during the Fall 2019 semester by giving back.

Medical donations:

Huntsman Cancer Institute

  • $10, 157 raised by Sigma Chi Fraternity (Flor) through Derby Days

Vs. Cancer

  • $1,447 raised by Knights men’s soccer

Breast cancer research

  • $1,312.25 raised by Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority (Flor) and donated to the Zeta Tau Alpha Foundation

Children’s Miracle Network

  • $120 raised by Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (Metro)

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

  • $300 raised by Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority (Flor)

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

  • $600 raised by Devils tennis
  • $255 raised by Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority (Flor)

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

  • $1,650 raised by Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity (Flor)
Tau Kappa Epsilon members pose in front of an inflatable arch that reads, "St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude Walk/Run
Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity (Flor) members raised $1,650 for St. Jude Children's Hospital.

Cancer research

  • $160 raised by Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority (Metro)
    • $10 were donated to each cause: breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, appendix cancer, brain cancer, ovarian cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, gallbladder / bile duct cancer, liver cancer, multiple myeloma, lymphoma, sarcoma / bone cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer and melanoma

Dysautonomia International Inc.

  • $1,080 raised by Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority (Flor)

Lupus Foundation of America

  • $61.60 raised by Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority (Metro)

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

  • $100 raised by resident assistants (Flor)

Emmanuel Cancer Foundation

  • $440 raised by Fairleigh Dance Project (Flor)

National Alliance on Mental Illness

  • $100 raised through Pay it Forward’s (Flor) annual Dance-a-Thon

American Heart Association

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Flor) donated a defibrillator that went to a school

Individual cancer patient

  • $120 raised by Colleges Against Cancer (Flor) and resident assistants (Flor)

Food and water donations:

A student sits in front of mountains of bottled water cases.
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. (Flor) collected 814 gallons of water for the Newark Water Coalition.

Newark Water Coalition

  • 814 gallons of water and $285 raised through water drive by Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. (Flor)
  • 230 gallons of water donated through a drive run by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Metro), Black Men’s Alliance (Metro), Omega Psi Phi Fraternity (Metro), National Society of Black Engineers (Metro)

Center for Hope and Safety

  • Food drive by Mu Sigma Epsilon Sorority (Metro)

Devils Care Food Pantry

  • Food drive by Florham Greek Senate
  • Food drive by Residence assistants (Flor)
  • Food drive by Pre-Health Society (Flor)

Center for Food Action

  • Canned food drive by Knights Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC)

ProJeCt of Easton

  • Canned food drive run by Resident Assistants (Flor)

Disaster relief donations:

Hurricane Dorian relief

  • $125 raised by Students of Caribbean Ancestry (Metro)
  • $102 raised by Latin American Student Organization (Flor)

Amazon rainforest disaster relief

  • $38 raised by Latin American Student Organization (Flor)

Clothing donations:

Together We Rise

  • 378 pairs of socks donated through a sock drive run by Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro), Black Men’s Alliance (Metro), National Society of Black Engineers (Metro)

Newark community

  • Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity, Inc. (Metro) handed out winter clothing

Yuntos

  • 70 pairs of shoes donated to those in need in Guatemala through Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro) shoe drive

Transitional Housing of Bergen County

  • Winter clothing donated through a drive run by Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

“Dress it Forward”

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro) cut and sewed 52 dresses from pillowcases for young girls in Africa and Haiti

Archdiocese of Paterson

  • 50 pieces of clothing collected through a drive run by resident assistants (Flor)

Sneakers 4 Funds

  • 90 pairs of sneakers donated through drive run by Devils Cross Country

Hoboken Shelter

  • Fashion Corps (Metro) donated clothes through a drive
  • Resident assistants (Metro) donated clothes through a drive

Clothing for a Cause

  • Latin American Student Organization (Flor) collected winter clothes for the homeless

Goodwill NYNJ

  • Knights track and field collected clothing to donate

Oasis – A Haven for Women & Children

  • Clothing donation made through a drive run by resident assistants (Metro)

Greater Bergen Community Action

  • Clothing donation made through drive run by resident assistants (Metro)

Atlantic City Rescue Mission

  • Clothing and toiletries donated through drive run by resident assistants (Metro)

Family Promise of Bergen County Center

  • Winter clothing donation through a drive run by resident assistants (Metro)

Other causes:

Toy Run Foundation

  • About 90 toys donated through a drive run by the Florham Office Campus Life

Youth Consultation Services

  • About 60 gifts donated through a drive run by the Office of the Metropolitan Campus Executive

Morris Cares volunteers

  • $300 raised by the Hospitality Society (Flor)

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern New Jersey

  • $150 raised by Omega Phi Chi Sorority (Metro)

Purple Heart Foundation

  • $100 raised by Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority (Flor)

Special Olympics

  • $50 raised by the Devils Student Athletic Advisory Committee

Turtle Conservancy

  • $28 raised by the Graphic Design Club (Flor) and the Creative Writing Club (Flor)

Bergen County Family Shelter

  • Personal care and hygiene items donated by resident assistants (Metro)

Bergen County Volunteer Center

  • Holiday gifts to eight families donated by Knights Student Athletic Advisory Committee through All-Wrapped Up Program

Books for Africa

  • Book drive run by Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare

  • Resident assistants (Flor) made and donated 35 dog toys
  • Resident assistants (Flor) made 28 animal tags and raised $11

East State Prison

  • Books donated through drive run by the Pre-Law club (Flor)

Philippine Toy Library

  • $400 and toys raised by Barkada (Metro)

Mahwah State Prison

  • Book drive run by resident assistants (Flor)

Holiday gifts to the children of Paterson

  • Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. (Metro)

Eva’s Village

  • Care packages of personal hygiene items donated by resident assistants (Metro)

Hackensack Meridian Health Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital

  • Toy donations made through a drive run by resident assistants (Metro)

Toys for Tots

  • Toys donated through a drive run by resident assistants (Flor)

World Wildlife Fund

  • $30 raised by PAWS Club (Flor)

Power of One

  • Backpacks donated through drive run by resident assistants (Flor)

PALS Programs

  • $10 raised by resident assistants (Flor)
Volunteer work
A group of students pose for a photo wearing matching purple shirts.
Sigma Pi Fraternity (Flor) and Theta Phi Alpha Sorority (Flor) volunteered at the Morristown Soup Kitchen Hunger Walk.

Hunger relief:

  • Homeless community in New York City, N.Y.
    • Catholic Campus Ministry (Flor) made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to feed the homeless
  • Family Promise Walk-in Dinner
    • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)
    • Sigma Pi Fraternity (Metro)
  • Soup Kitchen of Morristown Hunger Walk
    • Sigma Pi Fraternity (Flor)
    • Theta Phi Alpha Sorority (Flor)
  • Community Food Bank of N.J.
    • Florham Greek Senates packed 140 boxes of food
  • Homeless community in Newark, N.J.
    • Catholic Campus Ministry (Flor) made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to feed the homeless
    • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro) handed out care packages
  • Humble Beginnings
    • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro) helped with meal prep
Knights baseball players pose in front of a truck that reads, "CFA Center for Food Action. Taking Action to End Hunger & Homelessness."
Knights baseball volunteered at the Center for Food Action.

Center for Food Action

  • Knights baseball packed snacks for the homeless

Market Street Mission

  • Resident assistants (Flor) made snack bags

Devils Care Pantry

  • Pre-health Society (Flor) helped stock shelves

Our Lady of Grace Church

  • Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity (Metro) volunteered to feed the homeless

Homeless community in Elizabeth, N.J.

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro) handed out care packages

Newark Penn Station

Omega Phi Chi Sorority (Metro) handed out lunch packs

Hoboken Shelter

  • Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority (Metro) made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

Morristown Community Soup Kitchen

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Flor) students washed dishes and set up eating spaces

St. Margaret’s Church

  • Devils men’s soccer put together Thanksgiving baskets for the less fortunate

Rock CAN Roll

  • Food drive run by resident assistants (Metro)

Orange Fire Department

  • Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Metro) served food to the less fortunate on Thanksgiving

Community service:

A group of students pose in front of a sign that reads "Gives Kids the World."
FDU School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students volunteered at Give Kids the World.
  • Give Kids the World
    • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students volunteered in a variety of roles with the non-profit that serves as a dream-vacation spot for terminally ill children and their families at no cost
  •  America’s Grow-a-Row
    • Knights Student Athletic Advisory Committee
  •  Oasis – A Haven for Women & Children
    • Nubian Ladies (Metro) helped children with their homework
  •  Sardis Temple Baptists Church
    • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro) helped with voter registration
  •  Cake4Kids
    • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro) volunteered at kids cake class
  • Sinai Christian Academy
    • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro) volunteered at community fundraiser
One student pets a cat while the other smiles and points at the camera
Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (Flor) members volunteered at Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter.

Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter

  • Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (Flor)

Boys and Girls Club of Clifton

  • Knights baseball

Knights women’s soccer

  • Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority (Metro)

American Heart Association Greater Northern NJ Heart Walk

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Flor)

Johnson Library

  • Knights baseball helped middle school students with homework

Safe Halloween

  • Knights track and field hosted a safe Halloween for local children

NYC Marathon

  • Knights track and field volunteered during the race

Center for Hope and Safety

  • Knights bowling
  • Knights softball

New Jersey Community Development Corporation

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)
  • Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity (Metro)

Holiday clothing drive at Newark Penn Station

  • Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity (Metro)

New Jersey AIDS Services Headquarters

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Flor) students engaged with patients and assisted with daily activities

Homeless community in New York City, N.Y.

  • Catholic Campus Ministry (Flor) handed out winter clothes

2019 Walk to End Alzheimer’s

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students (Flor)

Holley Center

  • Hospitality Society (Metro) organized an art project for the children

Sunrise of Madison

  • Glamour Gals (Flor) visited monthly to provide companionship, manicures and makeovers to residents
  • Catholic Campus Ministry (Flor)

TGA Premier Sports of Bergen County

  • Knights men’s and women’s golf

The Villa at Florham Park

  • Schools of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Flor) students hosted activities

Gift of Life Marrow Registry

  • Resident assistants (Flor)

Holy Name Hospital

  • Knights track and field team

The Parish House Nursery School

  • Knights women’s volleyball

Paramus Veteran’s Home

  • Knights women’s soccer

St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students (Flor)

The Learning Experience

  • Knights women’s basketball
Knights women's basketball members high five children
Knights women's basketball held a clinic at the Boys and Girls Club of Lodi and Hackensack.

Boys and Girls Club of Lodi and Hackensack

  • Knights women’s basketball held a clinic
  • Knights men’s basketball held a clinic

The First Tee

  • Knights men’s and women’s golf

Dellridge Health & Rehabilitation Center

  • Rotaract (Metro) held an event to paint canvases for the facility

Healthy Kids

  • Knights track and field team

DIGS Volleyball

  • Knights women’s volleyball helped coach

Whittier Elementary School

  • Knights women’s basketball

Jersey City College Fair

  • Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Metro) spoke to students about the importance of college

Run Like an Amazon Virtual 5K race

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro) participated in the race to raise funds to empower women educationally and culturally

Healthcare service

  • Blood drive hosted by students in the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Flor)

Environmental cleanups:

A group of students holding garbage bags pose for a photo.
Metropolitan Campus students participated in a campus-wide cleanup.

Metropolitan Campus cleanup

  • Rotaract (Metro), Society of Women Engineers (Metro), Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro), Omega Phi Chi Sorority, Inc. (Metro), Knights bowling, Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity (Metro), Green Team (Metro), African Heritage Society (Metro), National Society of Collegiate Scholars (Metro)

Florham Campus cleanup

  • Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority (Flor)

Trenton, N.J. cleanup

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

Warinanco Park

  • Theta Phi Alpha Sorority (Flor)

Pennsauken, N.J. cleanup

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

Teaneck Creek Conservancy

  • Knights men’s and women’s tennis

Galloway, N.J. cleanup

  • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

Johnson Park

  • Inter-Greek Council (Metro)

MEVO Fresh Roots Farm

  • Knights softball

Hackensack River Keepers

  • Knights men’s and women’s tennis
Awareness initiatives
A group of students in pink clothes pose for a photo on the Metro Campus footbridge.
The Metropolitan Campus Student Government Association hosted a campus-wide Pink Walk to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Awareness

  • Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority (Flor), Devils field hockey, Devils football, Florham Programming Committee (FPC), Devils men’s soccer, Devils cross country, Devils women’s soccer, Devils cheerleading, Knights volleyball, Knights cheerleading, Knights bowling, Omega Phi Chi Sorority (Metro), Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latin Fraternity, Inc. (Metro), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Metro), Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority (Metro), Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro), Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority (Metro), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Flor), Student Government Association (Metro), Spectrum (Metro)

Mental health awareness

  • Florham Programming Committee
  • Psychology Alliance (Flor)
  • Knights women’s volleyball
  • Knights Student Athletic Advisory Committee
  • Resident assistants (Flor)

St. Jude’s Children Hospital

  • Lambda Theta Alpha Sorority (Metro) participated in the walk and run
  • Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity (Flor) participated in the walk and run

LGBTQ+ equality

  • Florham Programming Committee

Suicide prevention

  • Sigma Pi Fraternity (Flor)
  • Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority (Flor)

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Flor)

  • Sigma Gamma Rho colony (Metro)
  • Resident assistants (Flor)

To Write Love on Her Arms

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

Ovarian cancer awareness

  • Devils women’s soccer

Domestic violence awareness

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)
  • Inter-Greek Council (Metro)
  • Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority (Metro)

School and college readiness

  • Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority (Flor)

HIV/AIDS awareness

  • Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity (Metro)
  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students (Flor)

Transgender awareness

  • Spectrum (Metro)

Black Solidarity Day

  • Black Men’s Alliance (Metro)

Women’s Empowerment

  • Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority (Metro)
  • Sigma Gamma Rho colony (Metro)

Military personnel

  • Devils softball

Self-care

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences students (Flor)

Bullying prevention

  • Spectrum (Metro)

Coach to Cure MD

  • Devils football

Alcohol awareness

  • Hero Campaign (Metro)

Intersex awareness

  • Spectrum (Metro)

Reality of foster care

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

Violence against women

  • Omega Phi Beta Sorority (Flor) participated in the Ray of Hope Walk

Voter registration

  • Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity (Metro)
  • Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (Metro)

Body wellness

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority (Metro)

Asexuality awareness

  • Aura (Flor)

Safe prescription drug disposal

  • School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (Flor) ran a disposal drive
Acts of kindness
A group of students pose for a photo while holding poinsettias.
Resident assistants (Metro) spread holiday cheer by giving poinsettias to faculty and staff.

Appreciation cards:

Local veterans

  • Florham Programming Committee
  • Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority (Metro)
  • FDU Student Veteran Association
  • Resident assistants (Metro)

St. Jude Children’s Hospital patients

  • Graphic Design Club (Flor)

Cancer patients

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc. (Metro)

Dining hall and facilities employees

  • Resident assistants (Flor)

Sunrise of Madison

  • Resident assistants (Flor)

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia patients

  • Resident assistants (Flor)

East Orange Veteran’s Hospital patients

  • Residence assistants (Flor)

Cards for the less fortunate

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority (Flor)

CareOne Nursing Home patients

  • Resident assistants (Flor)

CardzforKidz

  • Resident assistants (Metro)

Cards for Hospitalized Kids

  • Resident assistants (Metro)

Mountainside Medical Center patients

  • Resident assistants (Metro)

Silver Healthcare Center patients

  • Resident assistants (Metro)

Department of Military and Veteran Affairs

  • Resident assistants (Metro) sent Christmas cards

Active duty army stationed in North Carolina

  • Resident assistants (Metro)

Hackensack Meridian Health Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital

  • Resident assistants (Metro)

A Million Thanks

  • Resident assistants (Flor)

Cards for the less fortunate in Morristown, N.J.

  • Resident assistants (Flor)

Acts of kindness:

St. Jude Children’s Hospital

  • Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity (Flor) and Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. (Flor) made care packages

Tomorrows Children’s Fund

  • Resident assistants (Metro) made candy bags for the patients

Teaneck Fire Department

  • Resident assistants (Metro) decorated mugs

Spreading holiday cheer

  • Resident assistants (Metro) gave poinsettias to faculty and staff

Positivity rocks

  • Pay it Forward (Flor) painted positive messages on rocks that were distributed around campus